Ice, Frost and Snow
by Alternateapocalypse
Summary: After a lethal car crash and a reincarnation gone wrong, who should Krystal meet but Dr. Shamal in a world where she is most likely to get violently killed... again... Warnings: OC, language, AU beginning, violence, slight father abuse, future sadism. Chapter specific warnings inside.
1. In Exchange

**Ice, Frost and Snow**

**Warnings: Swearing, violent death, and slight child slavery if you squint/ know your Italian Mafia history.**

**Chapter 1- In Exchange...**

That day, I was, in a word, relieved.

My second year mid-terms were finished!

Of course, this was immediately followed by my return to my work, but I still didn't care. After all the hard work was done now, right?

Zipping back to the dorms, I had a rushed shower, and quickly assumed my hair in a tight bun after my uniform was on. Nodding in satisfaction at my readiness I looked at the time.

And proceeded to panic mode.

"Shit, I'm late!" I exclaimed, hitching my faux-leather bag on my shoulder and fishing out my keys. I closed the door allowing it to automatically lock, and raced down the stairs, out the dorm and to my cute little car.

Arriving at the complex where my work was, I dashed up the escalator and into the large department store.

After clocking in, I chucked my bag in my locker and headed out the floor for the next three hours.

I didn't know that this would be the last time I would be here.

**...Three Hours Later...**

I stretched my arms up above my head, flexing back and forth to work out the kinks. Clutching my bag I strolled out of the complex, not a care in the world other then what my belated dinner would be. However, as I turned left onto the highway my gut was clenching in sickened apprehension. Something was going to happen. Probably something bad. _Soon_.

I slowed slightly, taking care in my driving. Stopping at a red light near the empty warehouse district, I realised I was shaking and twitching nervously. _Maybe I was sick?_ I had thought.

The light flashed green and I hit the gas, I was almost home.

A flash of high speed metal-shine caught my attention before it happened. I still remember the look on the truck driver's face was one of horror.

I heard shrieking of metal on metal before I felt the impact. My driver's side door became highly concave, as bits of metal splintered all over the place, and the glass shattered into many, many pieces. Warmth flooded over my legs before I could not long feel them, a sharp pain flaring at my side and across my back. My arm snapped at some point not long ago, blood spilling all over the place as bone pierced flesh. I heard scraping and banging, only for the flashes of light dancing into my retinas to make complete and sudden sense. My car had flipped, one hundred and eighty degrees and I was still spinning over the bitumen, the truck still not completely stopped. I must have hit my head again, because I lost all coherency after that.

_When had I hit my head the first time?_

I faintly registered a voice screaming in a high pitch of utter terror.

_Was that... me?_

As the car spun on its rooftop, a patch of solid red- _red, red and more red! Hehehehaha_- repeatedly swam in and out of my vision only to remain there as my car's progression was brought to a sudden halt. This made my abused seatbelt snap, with kinetic- _oohhh~ ki-net-ic- force_- I was flung into the passenger side door, which was probably reinforced with a solid structure- _a wall?_- smacking into it with my shoulder, which quickly crumpled, only somewhat halting the force of my head connecting.

I must have passed out or something but I couldn't open my eyes.

I heard many things; a panicked "Oh my god, oh my _god_!" Followed by a conversation that was too hard to focus on.

"Compress, compress, breath. Come on, please breath! Please, plea-"

_I don't want to die._

"-e need a neck brace, multiple contusions, arm is bra-"

A steady hand pulled my eyelid open, a slight stain of hazel and an incredibly painful light before it was released again.

_Please, I don't want to die. Please?_

"-there is minimal pupil reaction. Possible brain dama-"

_I wish I had done something._

"-hea... me... ca... you he... me?"

"need... defib... clear!"

'Something worth fighting for.

"no...sponse..."

_I really don't want to die._

"...ti...eath...eight...enty-eight.."

_Please?_

And I lost all contact with the world.

**...Warehouse district, 8:28pm, Thursday, 30th of October...**

My name is Krystal Camerons and I died at nineteen, in a car-crash in New South Wales, Australia, with my whole life ahead of me.

**...Place- unknown...Time- unknown...**

I awoke. This was not what I had expected.

I mean, I wasn't religious, but I was never truly atheist. I had wanted to believe in a higher power that allowed us rest and happiness for our souls before we move to whatever they had in store for us.

I must have skipped that.

When I awoke, I looked around, twisting my not so painful body around.

The place was large, empty, grimy, dirty and quite possibly abandoned. I pushed myself up, wondering where I was. The movement caused a rattling sound and I quickly looked at my hands. The first thing I noticed _chains_? I thought. _Huh_.

The second thing I noticed was that I was shaking in hunger. It wasn't until all these things were acknowledged that I caught the major change.

I was _tiny_. As in child-sized.

I did, with much struggle mind you, stand up. The heavy iron manacles pulled at my shoulders, but I found that my body could handle it. Well, could _possibly_ handle it.

I clambered out of the factory- _great, MORE warehouses_- finding that body was verging on self collapse. I sniffed, the smell of baking bread drifting through the air. Following the smell, I arrived at the baker's stall and found myself staring at the food, salivating.

I edged to the stall, entranced with the variety and smell. Looking at the stall keepers, I quickly decided to steal some. Snatching the smallest piece closest to the edge I tried to scamper away, but tripped.

"Hey! That dirty brat stole my bread!" I heard as I got up and fled.

I ran as if I had the hounds of hell on my heels, using my size advantage to avoid clawing arms, towering bodies and angry faces. Quickly ducking out of the heavy crowd and with a sharp turn into the alleys I ran into a solid mass of flesh. Hands grabbed me and I squirmed before a hand was placed, gently, on my mouth.

"Shush, they will catch you if you yell like that."

I stopped struggling, but didn't relax until he put me down.

"What did you steal to cause that ruckus?" He asked, seemingly genuinely curious. Not trusting him I gestured to my food.

"Ah. Are you an orphan?"

I looked at him, his brown eyes were seemingly guileless, but he wasn't someone I would trust. My gut told me that he wasn't what he seemed.

"W-w-what's it to y-you, mister?" I said my voice croaky and under-used.

"Well, I was curious. I am a doctor, you know." He gestured to follow him, which I did hesitantly. He didn't demand an answer, but despite my gut telling me he wasn't all he seemed, I felt he was trustworthy.

"I... I don't know if my parents are alive..." I half-whispered, yet he nodded in acknowledgement.

"Hmm, you wouldn't happen to know why you have chains on do you?" He asked. I shook my head, then winced a little in pain.

"Hit your head did you?" He commented, a hand running through his dark brown hair.

"Y-yes." I vocally stumbled.

"Let me see." He said. I walked slowly up to him again, scanning for malicious intent.

"I won't hurt you. What's your name little one?"

"Krystal." I said, "who are you?"

He chuckled. "My name, dear Krystal, is Dr. Tommaso Shamal. Nice to meet you."

"N-nice to m-meet you too, Dr. Shamal."

**...**

**Italics are thoughts and personal emphasis. Comments?**


	2. A Family

**Ice, Frost and Snow**

**Chapter 2- A Family**

**Warnings: Definite child slavery references and a lack of ACTION!**

After our introduction, asked me to follow him. While I hesitated, I did so anyway. He had 'saved' me from the angry stall man after all. I walked along, but I was staggering as if drunk. I guess it really wasn't easy to re-adjust to a smaller sized body.

After reaching a populated street, he hailed a taxi all but pushing me into it.

"To headquarters," he told the driver.

'Huh? Headquarters of what?' I thought to myself.

"Krystal, was it?" he enquired, interrupting my thoughts.

"Y-yeah?" I replied, but it felt distorted. 'Or is that my entire perception?'

"I am going to take you to someone who might be able to help you." Dr. Shamal informed, shifting... nervously?

"O-okay? W-who is it?" I ask, totally bewildered.

"You'll see, Krystal. Why don't you try to sleep? You look exhausted."

I nodded, doing as I was bidden. My last conscious thought was that I was probably going to need a 'background story'.

**...An Hour And A Half Later...**

I awoke to someone shaking my arm.

I sat up blinking wearily. Looking around, I started to panic. 'Where AM I?'

Someone stepped into my view and bent to my eye level. Do I know him?

"It's okay, Krystal! We have just arrived, you know."

When it all rushed back to me that I was in a de-aged body at who-knows-where, I felt myself relax. It must have shown on my face because Dr. Shamal retreated slightly to allow me room to stand.

"Come, girl-child." He called, stalking off. In the race to catch up, I tripped twice and stumbled a few more times.

" ? Where are we?" I huffed at him when I was at his side, taking two steps for every one of his.

"We are at the Vongola Headquarters." He declared, watching me intently.

"Oh. Why do pergolas need a headquarters?" I asked.

His eyes widened, and he burst out laughing. Once he sobered up, he noticed my questioning gaze and replied.

"No, not pergola, Vongola. It is where I work."

"Ah, 'kay." I said, looking at the heavily decorated and expensive furnishings.

We continued walking, with my constant (and annoying) stumbling and tripping, I started to have a cold feeling and my cheeks flushed. _Was this the same heavy anticipation feeling I had as a nineteen year-old? Or was I sick?_

I noticed that the men and women rushing around in suits seemed to be crowding around as I bumped into something and landed on my butt. Shaking as the anticipation got heavier, I stood up again.

"Kyuudaime (Ninth). Shamal has returned to report his mission."

Looking at the door, (_when had that appeared?_) I realized that the speaker must have been the woman that Dr. Shamal was making eyes at. Before I could do or say something stupid, a pleasant 'come in' rumbled through the just open doorway.

walked in without preamble, leaving me to follow.

_Oh god. Was this a bad idea? What if they are dangerous? WHY THE HELL DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT BEFORE NOW?!_

Mentally pulling out my hair, walking in with my eyes carefully surveying the office, I halted a fair distance away from both and the old man with sharp, sharp eyes behind the desk. Waiting patiently for him to finish surveying the threat (_Me? I am hardly a threat- even to a fly!_). Apparently finding what he was looking for (_in this body that is not mine, it can't be, right?_) he smiled warmly before he turned away to address .

"Hello, Shamal. What can I do for you?"

"I found this running around! I thought we were free from child-slavery!" he exclaimed, obviously displaying he displeasure at the find.

I pouted. _I am not a thing!_

Both currently ignoring me, they continued. "We have stopped all but the recently developed and started slave-trading, but was that where you found her?" The old man asked, seemingly not aggravated at the sudden demand for answers. There may not have been a smile on his face, but for some reason, it felt as if he was amused.

shuffled his feet. "Well, no, but she must have been! Look at the shackles!"

I jerked at the statement when they both turned their eyes on me. I tried not to fidget 'til they returned to their conversation. The old man's brown eyes sharpened at . "And she told you this, Shamal?"

flinched. "N-no. I didn't. I assumed. Sorry."

The old man nodded, his eyes softening before turning to me. Dropping my gaze, he said, "well child. Would you like to come over here and tell this old man what happened?"

I looked up, checking to see if it was a trick.

_'In a situation that you don't know when, where and why you are there, assume that all are untrustworthy.'_

Slowly walking towards him, (_because it felt as if there wasn't a choice_) I squeaked when he lifted me into his lap.

"So child, what is your name?" He asked.

"K-krystal, s-s-sir."

"And where are you from, Krystal?" I thought, and thought hard. What language was I speaking? Italian. _Where in the six realms of hell did I learn that?!_

So, an Italian city?

"M-m-mess-sina..." I hesitantly said.

"Ah. Not so far away, huh? What about your parents?"

_Ah shit! Was he going to try and find my parents? I don't know who the parents of this body_ _are!_

"I...I don't know where they are. My p-parents said that they l-loved me and t-to hide but I-I do-on't know w-w-where they are! I heard a g-gun and the m-men took me!" I cried, dissolving into tears as I realized that I would never see my parents again. The last thing I remember before waking up here was dying!

"Ah, child. It will be okay." He said.

But things would never be the same again.

**...Three hours later...**

I had eventually settled, and when asked to leave the room I sat on the floor across the hallway of office doors. My thoughts of what had happened to me were tainted by depressing thoughts of never seeing those who had raised me to be what I am now.

Or what I was.

Exactly what was going to happen now?

And why was I here instead of wherever you go when you die?

The door I was waiting for opened, and both and the older man stepped out, looking faintly displeased.

"Krystal, we will try to find your parents but in the meantime you will stay with here, okay?"

I looked at . He gave a small smile that I suspect was supposed to be reassuring, but would have scared any of the children that I used to know away.

"But he doesn't want to, does he?" I blurted out. "I m-mean, o-only if he w-wants to... s-sir."

scratched his head. "Ah... Look, kid. It's not really that I don't want to, just that I have some dangerous stuff I'm working on and I didn't think it would be appropriate to have you there in case of an accident. You just gotta be careful."

"Okay! Thank you, !"

He huffed, planting his hand in my hair and messing it up further. "No problem, kid."

**...**

**AA/N: DON'T SHOOT ME! I have a valid reason for making you wait! I posted the first chapter on FFnet, and my computer up and died, well, the hard-drive did. Shoot that old one instead of me! **

**On a side note, I give it two-ish chapters before I start in the storyline of KHR, unless there are specific requests for meeting (Vongola, Varia or Italian) people.**

**Please review, I would like to know what you think!**

**And a special thank you to scarlet rose white for reviewing! This was for you!**


	3. And A Way Of Life

**Ice, Frost and Snow**

**Chapter 3: ...And A Way of Life.**

**Warning: Violence (if you can't handle this then why the hell are you reading KHR?), Mental swearing and poisons mentioned.**

I had been staying with the lecherous Shamal for a month before the search for my 'parents' had been cancelled. There were more important things going on in the extensive Vongola network and, as I heard Shamal saying to a woman (_it was almost a proper conversation! Without perversity!_), the Vongola had to deal with bigger things then parents that were probably already dead.

I suppose I can't fault him for that.

During the first long month of my stay with Shamal (_the pervert was not worthy of the title of 'doctor' no matter his degrees_) he had set me up with kid things to do, which needless to say, bored me shitless. Shamal had been out of his 'lab room' as he called it to make sure I wasn't going to be a hassle, therefore I bugged him for something constructive to do.

And he sat me down with elementary school testing; science, human development, language, mathematics, comprehension and reading.

I quickly pulled up the pro's and con's of using my full knowledge, coming to the conclusion that they had no former basis on which to judge me against, and swiftly determined that it would be too much of a pain or intensively boredom, to bother hiding. Plus, I definitely _hated_ being talked down to.

Needless to say, as a university student, I had no problems ace-ing that sucker!

Shamal took the tests and marked them, handing them back to me muttering under his breath. I scanned them. _What did I do wrong?_

"Krystal, stay here, and I will get more to do. Harder this time." He left for almost twenty minutes, and just as I was getting up to see if he was coming back, he returned.

"Here you go. Are there any you don't know about?" He asked, watching me carefully.

I looked at the papers, handing back a senior high-school level chemistry, (_I epically bombed that subject last time!)_ physics, higher level math, geography and modern history.

These tests took longer to finish, until finally, Shamal returned (_when did he leave?_) and looked at the biology and health related tests, marking those as well.

He raised an eyebrow.

"You sure know some stuff, kid. Where did you learn it?" I hesitated.

"I-I read a lot. And my parents and their friends helped me when I didn't understand it." I lied quickly.

He 'hn'ed and I swung my legs while waiting for him to finish.

"Well, I can't call on that but, I think you did pretty well."

With that encouragement, I couldn't help but grin widely at him.

**-The Next Day-**

When I woke up had been all but pushed to the training grounds to meet with... a baby?

"Shamal." A baby with red steam-punk goggles (_a girl?_) greeted. "Who is this?"

Shamal nudged me further forward.

_Why can't he just __ask__ me to move?_

"This is Krystal, Lal Milch. The Ninth wanted me to assess and train her so she wouldn't get targeted as being from/around the familigia."

"I can't take care of the brat, Shamal!" The baby hissed. "I am likely to be called by CEDEF at anytime and I am already busy!"

_Stop talking as if I can't hear you, or I am an idiot. It is really annoying._

"You wouldn't have to look after her Lal! Just start her off in self-defence!"

"That brat hardly looks able to throw a punch, let alone defend!"

_Hey! I know the technique!_

Lal continued. "She would be better off with her parents!"

This made me mad. Really mad.

"Excuse me! But I know how to throw a punch! I want to learn to defend! And my parents are most likely DEAD, thank you very much!" I yelled, aggravated. Lal Milch and Shamal were shocked for a moment until, somewhat hesitantly, Lal Milch spoke.

"Heh. Brat, if I do -and I'm not saying I will- take you on I need to assess you first. I want you to run the track until I say to stop, got it!"

"Yes'm!" I said, running off to start.

Needless to say, half an hour and fifteen laps later I was buggered and red faced, but still running. I will not let her win!

Getting up after my trip I retied my small shoes and continued.

_Willpower, willpower, don't fail me now!_

I had 'gathered' spectators who, surprisingly, didn't outright laugh at me tripping. Huffing, I reached the curve of the track but tripped again. This time there was snickering, but it was quickly removed. I got up again, with much, much more difficulty.

_Come on! Keep going!_

I continued to run, passing a group who had just arrived, all in green camouflage uniforms of some kind.

I had gotten past them and almost to Shamal and Lal Milch again, when the whole world left me.

**-An hour later-**

I groaned my entire body radiating pain, my eyes closed as I came back to the world.

"She's awake, kora." A voice said.

I opened my eyes, looking around. There were white curtains blocking most of the room from view, but I could clearly see two babies sitting on chairs next me, and Shamal standing behind them.

"Hey there Krystal! I saw what you did, kora. That was pretty good for your age! My name is Colonello, kora!" Said the baby with blond hair and a bird (_falcon?)_ on his head.

_Was he being sarcastic?_

"Hi." I replied wearily.

"Listen here brat! I will train you, but if you don't keep up, you can forget it!" Lal Milch said, interrupting me. Instead of being annoyed, I smiled at her.

"I will keep up!" I promised.

She nodded and both Lal and Colonello left.

Shamal stepped forward.

"Come on, kid. Let's go home."

**-Eight Hours Later-**

I had fallen asleep when I got back, bloody exhausted from the running I did. Now, I was awake and definitely feeling like crap.

And hungry. Like, really hungry.

I got out of bed, to face-plant the floor due to my noodle-like limbs and the uncooperative sheets. Only groaning in annoyance as I hurt too much to care, I got up, looking for Shamal.

When, fifteen minutes later, I had checked everywhere but the restricted lab, I hesitantly walked in.

I couldn't see him straight away, and looked around carefully, admiring the beakers full of different liquids. I reached the last bench, pulling my eyes to table surface line to see the last ones.

"HEY! GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Someone (_a male?_) suddenly yelled, startling me.

I slipped, landing heavily on my back as my (_left?_) foot caught the bar I had been standing on and my (_right?_) foot kicked again a lower bar.

The table tipped, raining beakers of purple, red and blue down on me, smashing others of green, black and a multitude of other colours around me, before the table crashed into my ribs.

With an ominous cracking sound and with a heavy burst of pain, I lost consciousness.

**A/N: This was going to originally be the last chapter before a major time skip to the beginning of the KHR storyline, but, I have a few ideas for the interim that I need to write in.**


	4. Poisons

**Ice, Frost and Snow**

**Chapter 4- Poisons**

**Warnings: Lack of Action, some scientific boringness, language, poisons and acids.**

**-Previously-**

"HEY! GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Someone (a male?) suddenly yelled, startling me.

I slipped, landing heavily on my back as my (left?) foot caught the bar I had been standing on and my (right?) foot kicked again a lower bar.

The table tipped, raining beakers of purple, red and blue down on me, smashing others of green, black and a multitude of other colours around me, before the table crashed into my ribs.

With an ominous cracking sound and a heavy burst of pain, I lost consciousness.

**-Current Chapter-**

Pain.

_Burning Pain_.

It was the only thing I registered for what felt like a long time. There were some sounds, mumbled and slurred, making no sense whatsoever. I had tried to reach out to those voices, to grasp the concept of the words, though they continued to allude me.

Eventually I stilled, falling into a calm centre of my mind. I was only aware of this due to the sudden half-awareness of my being. _What had happened?_ I thought to myself.

I remembered a complete exhaustion, a burning will to prove something. _What was it? Running? What would that prove?_ I continued to contemplate.

White.

I opened my eyes, then immediately closed them the searing pain and the blinding white of my surroundings overwhelming me.

I slipped under again.

_The running, it was to prove myself worthy to a baby? This might have been the reason that I was in this half-in half-out of state._ I did remember the strain of muscles, the rush of wind passing my face and a sudden stop.

_Was it really the reason for this?_

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Irritation. Why won't it _stop? _

The white wasn't so blinding this time, though it still felt very bright to me. A moving white covered black (and purple) shape. Huh. That's different.

"Krystal? Can you hear me? Krys-"

And I was out again.

No, it wasn't the running that put me in this state. The _burning_ wasn't the burn of strained muscles. Well, I was pretty sure. I mean, I was in a different world that seemed to have different rules.

Those rules are on the list of things I have to learn. Another thing anyway.

I remember waking up after the running. Ah, running muscle pain was more of a throbbing then the more caustic _burning_.

"-ow is she, Shamal?"

"She has been awake, but not aware-"

"Will she survive? She has almost died twice."

"... It isn't likely. The poison had almost too much time to work. If the adaption solution didn't work or kick in when it did, she would already be dead."

"The prototype high-adaption solution? The one developed for brain damage, neural pathways and muscle scarring?"

"I hadn't had time to test this one. I have no idea what it'll do."

"This one? What did the previous ones do?"

"Ah... The one directly before this started to overwrite the scar tissue, but did not disappear after completing the task. It seemed to deem all of the other tissue as '_damaged_'. The body's immune system started to attack the new tissue... The subject did not survive."

Finally, I knew what had happened. I had woken and looked for Shamal. I had been struck by an immature need to see exactly what Shamal had in his lab. And when someone had walked in and yelled at me I had startled and tipped the table on myself. _Wonderful._

That was probably why my ribs had hurt.

_Ah, I'm fucking blinded! Stupid colour! My retinas! They burn! Fucking shitting son of a fucking-_

My internal rant about the blinding white that I had opened my eyes too was interrupted by a door opening and closing. Two sets of footsteps came to the bedside, neither speaking.

Venturing to open my eyes again, I saw that Shamal and the Ninth.

"Ergh. Hi Ninth. Funny seeing you here with the lecherous pervert."

The Ninth looked at me and raised an eyebrow, whereas Shamal whirled around and stared.

"Ah, what's up, doc?" I asked sheepishly. Moving to sit up I winced, my muscles protesting at the movement.

"I am glad to see that you are awake, Krystal. You had a few of us worried for quite a while." The ninth said, moving to sit down in a chair by the bed.

"Huh? Was I asleep for awhile?" I replied, highly aware that I didn't know how long I was out.

"For almost three months." I stared.

"ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?" I yelled, shocked before trying to hack my lungs up from the sudden coughing bout.

"No, we almost lost you twice. Do you remember what happened?" The ninth asked after I finished coughing.

I nodded, before expanding my answer. "I was somewhat aware of my state before now, but I just couldn't wake up. When I was in pain I tried to remember what happened." I turned to the unusually quiet Shamal.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make a mess in your lab. I was looking for you and was just looking at the different things there. I'm sorry."

Coming out of his semi-shocked state, he shook his head.

"No, it wasn't your fault. I startled you, and I had left to make sure that the medical supplies I ordered were all there without leaving a note."

He sounded so sad. It made me want to cry.

I shook my head stubbornly. "Not your fault."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

_"Is not."_

_"Is too."_

The Ninth interrupted. "There is no point in arguing like children."

_Excuse me, I am a freaking child! Well, physically at least…_

"We need to check on how you are, but I believe that there will be necessity for physical therapy. You have been in bed for three months."

I groaned.

_Fan-fucking-tastic._

**-Four Days Later-**

I had started on simple general movement, (_move this limb, grip this item, flex your arm, curl your toes.. grr._) but I had noticed that whenever I was angry or startled things I was in contact with immediately burnt, changed colours, liquefied and smoked. Even when I did not get angry or startled, things would slowly change. By the fourth day without any acknowledgement at these events were happening after I had melted a glass, I snapped at Shamal.

"What the frick is happening?" I said, startling everyone in the room and melting the edge of the tray that had my lunch on it.

Lal, Shamal and a man that had been introduced as the head of CEDEF, Sawada Iemitsu , looked at me before Lal turned to the head of CEDEF.

"You owe me twenty bucks," she claimed.

_Huh?_

"Dammit."

Shamal interrupted them.

"We were hoping that we could get the test results back first before we needed to tell you, but apparently your patience doesn't last that long."

_Damn straight it doesn't._

"Well, when you were in the lab, your were covered in a concentrated belladonna and hemlock solution, diluted hydrocholoric acid and a prototype of a high adaptation solution in the undialuted format." Shamal scratched his head.

"It's lucky that you're alive. Really. The high adaption solution was never meant to be taken in such a concentrated format. Let alone the hydrocholoric acid." He shuddered.

"Ah!" I said, coming to a conclusion, "the hydrocholoric acid was the reason I was in pain when I ate! Was it the fumes or did I end up ingesting it? Oh, and why the fuck aren't I dead?"

_Again. Cause it's so much fun this dying thing. Not._

The silence stretched out and when they started to exchange glances of _'how-the-fuck-do-we-answer-that?'_, I changed the topic.

"Whatever. So, why is any of that important to what I originally asked?"

The head of CEDEF answered this.

"As I understand it, the adaption formula, due to the concentration not only allowed passive immunity to the poisons in the future but also went a step further and allowed your body to 'naturally' produce those poisons."

I stared for a moment. Then a little longer until it sunk in.

"So... What you're trying to say... Is?"

Lal sighed and said, "Bluntly, you are poisonous. Like a cane toad."

"WHAT!" I yelled, setting off a less painful then before set of coughing.

**-Three Weeks Later-**

After the revelation that I am likened to a cane toad, I couldn't help but notice that everyone avoided direct contact with me and I was restricted in where I could go. My therapy was painful, but I wasn't going to complain about people not catching me when I fell. I didn't want to hurt them. But it hurt, not just physically but emotionally too. It felt like they didn't _care_, despite evidence to the contrary.

I was quickly becoming depressed, until one night I overheard a conversion outside my door. I didn't recognize the voices.

"She really leaks poison? So that's why she is being avoided like the plague."

"Yeah. I heard that at first it was an on-off thing, but they say it is constant now."

"Is it true that they were going to ship her off to some hospital in the middle of nowhere?"

"Rumour has it, yeah."

"I wonder if she could control it?"

"Don't be an idiot, she'd need some sort of divine intervention for that to happen. Plus then superpowered beings would be real."

"Imagine that! Hey I got hit with Gamma Rays! Now I turn into a green man!"

"A _giant_ green man!"

"A giant green _monster_!"

"A giant green _rage_ monster!"

"Man that was too far. Way too far. Not cool."

"What? What was wrong with that?"

As the conversation swirled further down the drain of the inane, I tuned out.

_Could_ I control it? Damn, I _wanted _to. No doubt. And I was pretty sure I had had _'divine intervention'_ before, I mean, I am alive now, right? I lay back, wondering.

Well, to control it, I would have to monitor it. So, could I _feel_ it?

I wasn't sure, I had multiple changes in my body, what was the poison and what was damaged area?

While I had no answers, the questions motivated me. Depression was no longer colouring my world, pushed off for now.

**-Two and a Half Months Later-**

After the conversation I had heard, I bugged Shamal to show me what they had found. Basically, I had developed 'centers' in my body that regularly release poisons into the bloodstream. The adaption solution had pushed down the immune response to the centers until the point at which they were accepted into my bodies 'normal contents' category.

Shamal had also told me that there were only a few, and that they were stationary but he was unable remove them, because no tool could withstand the acids.

Once I found that the centers were only in my forearms and hands (due to the fact that they were the only parts coated in the adaption solution), I tried to treat them as a muscle, flexing and moving the muscle. For a long while, I was unsuccessful until on the third week I was able to control the flow of the acid into an emptied glass. Which promptly started to melt.

Of course, I was elated at the find and yelled out in triumph. Shamal came racing in, but was confused at what had happened.

"I can control it!" I said, bouncing in my place.

"Control what?"

"The poisons! I can control them!"

"W-what? That's not possible!" He spluttered.

Not wanting to waste my breath, I concentrated. Slowly, slowly, I managed to make the poison 'flow' into the glass filling it halfway.

Shamal had quickly called the Ninth and Iemitsu, not knowing what the hell could be happening. And after a repeat performance they questioned me on it and the limitations.

Their questions broadened my horizon of possibilities, and made me want to meet a girl they mentioned.

Apparently she only has to touch food to make it poisonous. _Interesting._

By the time it was two and a half months since I had first started I had managed to gain control over the centers, allowing Shamal to remove the centers in my forearms. Unfortunately, the centers in the hands were not only deeply based but rooted throughout my hands, making it impossible to remove.

Fortunately, a flexible metal alloy was made by a Vongola scientist that would contain the natural secretion of poisons for up to two weeks if cleaned and maintained properly and regularly. The alloy was made into a plate that could line specially made gloves so I wouldn't be poisoning anyone due to a loss of control.

_I wonder how many favours Shamal pulled in for that one? _I wondered idly.

**A/N: Okay, a boring chapter, I know. But this chapter was very, very necessary to the story. Some of you maybe able to guess why (and I welcome it) but this 'talent' she now has will become an integral part of her character.**

**Also, this chapter covers six and a half months in the Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn world, in total, seven and a half months.**

**Please read and review. Just one review this chapter? Please?**

**~Alternateapocalypse**


	5. An Attempted Kidnapping

**Ice, Frost and Snow**

**Chapter 5- Training and the First Mission**

**Warnings: Language (please assume here on out that this will always be a warning...), torturous training, violent people and finally- action!**

**-Previously-**

Fortunately, a flexible metal alloy was made by a Vongola scientist that would contain the natural secretion of poisons for up to two weeks if cleaned and maintained properly. The alloy was made into a plate that could line specially made gloves so I wouldn't be poisoning anyone due to a loss of control.

**-Current Chapter-**

**-Two Weeks Later-**

A fortnight and a series of embarrassing and horrific memories that will never be told of later, I finally was ready enough to start my heavily delayed training with Lal Milch in a relatively small training field.

"Right." She started. "We are going to start by increasing your stamina, speed and flexibility. So, twenty laps in ten minutes."

I looked at her for a second comprehending what she had said. It was a second too long.

"Get to it!" She yelled.

I turned and ran to the outer edge of the field before trying to steadily jog out the laps. On the last lap, I decided to go into a full sprint, completing the task in nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds.

Not more than two minutes later, I had caught my breath.

"Hmph. You need to do better than that, student. Now, dodging practice." Lal Milch announced as she took out a stock of knives, guns, dynamite and grenades out of nowhere.

"Huh?" I said, amazed at her apparent hammer-space. She lifted up a knife, examined it and promptly threw it at me.

Startled, I jumped back and landed on my butt.

"What the fuck?" I yelled, still on my butt.

"Dodge, my disobedient student. Not fall down." Lal commanded while ignoring my comment, throwing a grenade. I rolled out of the way and stood up, jumping to the left as soon as I had completed the action.

_Is she fucking insane?!_

A knife casually tossed in my direction confirmed (to my mind at least) that insanity was not implausible, though definitely threatening to my health.

**-Eleven Hours Later-**

After crashing on my bed after the hellish tort- training session, that went for FIVE FREAKING HOURS, I slept right through the next six hours. Groggily rising when I stirred to Shamal's voice calling me, I stumbled out to see what was up.

"What's up, Shamal?" I called from behind him as he hung his head in the bathroom.

Pervert.

He jumped and whirled around.

"Don't do that!" He said, hand on his chest.

"Do what? What were you doing?" I replied. He shook his head.

"Nevermind, I have to ask you, what do you want to learn? Considering you're higher level than your age group, it was decided that you would be home tutored."

I pondered on the answer for a moment. _What do I want to do? Medicine, definitely. At least to stitching up wounds, resetting bones and other things keeping someone alive._

_Hm, is he asking about purely legal things?_ I couldn't answer that, so I asked him.

"It depends," he said guardedly. "What would you want to try?"

"Well, the only truly legal things I can think of are languages and medicine. Like stitching and bone alignment, stuff like that. But the gray shaded things like lock picking, hacking and hiding in a crowd are things I'd like to learn."

Relaxing slightly, he nodded. "Yeah, those are things that you should probably learn if you are going to be a Mafioso."

"Wait. Hold on. _Going_ to be a Mafia? Don't I get a choice in all this?!" I exclaimed, unhappy that I was assumed as to be a mafia woman. I was also annoyed at myself. I hadn't really shown an aversion to their way of life, so how were they to know?

And in hindsight it was kinda obvious_. I'm a Bloody idiot._

Shamal looked at me.

"We assumed by your dedication to training your poison handling and accepting of physical training that you were already accepting of it."

Was it really such a _bad_ thing? What were my other options?

Well, I was fairly well known in the Vongola headquarters already, would I have to leave? I suppose if I didn't want to be mafia I had to. I'd get pulled in anyway, and if I rejected training as mafia, I would be unprepared.

What would I do out there?

A lonesome eight year old with the mental age of a nineteen year old. While it wasn't weird here in the headquarters, I didn't think it was something to base the whole view of this world. I mean, I saw a guy with most of his hair shaven off, but the long hank of hair was dyed green. And he wore big puffy red _things_ on the edges of his coat.

_Yeah, not normal._

I couldn't see myself being able to _do_ anything anytime soon out there.

Plus the whole, 'I-can-produce-poisons-from-my-hands' thing? Not going to work. Yeah, because that'll go down well.

"W-what would being a mafioso entail? I mean, what would I have to do?" I quested, afraid of the answer. I didn't really want to _assassinate_ people. No way!

He sighed, obviously hoping not to be asked this.

_Why wouldn't I ask?_

"Mafioso entails loyalty to the leader, or the Ninth in our case, gathering intelligence, taking missions that range from surveillance and couriering all the way to hits and assassinations."

"I would be asked to kill someone? I don't think I could do that!" I cried.

"Whoa! Calm down. You wouldn't be asked until you were thought of as ready to do so, even then you would have someone to back you up." Shamal tried to sooth.

'It's still expected that I can and will kill. Maybe not now, but sooner or later. _Why would I do that?_

The answer still wasn't clear to me. Possibly in self-defense, or defense of a person I cared about. Maybe.

"Sorry. I didn't really think about it too much." I admitted, sheepish that I was such an idiot.

"Nah. We shouldn't have assumed. You are a kid, even if you're smarter than most." He dismissed.

_I resent that._

"What languages do you want to do, or know some of?" He asked.

"Italian, I know. English too. I know some Japanese, but not enough to even ask for directions. Just some random words. Where else am I possibly going to go? I'd like to know some others too." I rattled off, yawning.

"Hm... Well French and Spanish would be good- French is used in Canada and Spanish is spoken in most South American countries. But some other widely spoken languages are Portugese, Arabic, Russian and Chinese. Well, in the areas that you may end up at."

I considered. "What about German?"

"German is a major language in only seven countries. Portugese is spoken in ten. French in twenty-nine. Arabic in twenty-seven. Anyway, the most highly spoken languages are English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Russian. I think so, anyway."

_It would be so cool to know all those! _I thought._ But it would take a while. _

"I wouldn't mind learning all of those but can I start in the places that I have some basis in? Like Japanese?" I asked.

Shamal nodded. "We should test you on English. Maybe get it certified. It might be handy to have, after all."

I was going to ask 'for what?' but Shamal had gotten up and drifted to the door. Once he was out the door, exhaustion hit me harder than the unarmed C4 that Lal nailed me in the ribs with. My head hit the table and I knew no more until Shamal came back and kicked me out of the chair.

I still don't know if I have told him he's an asshole for that...

**-Two And A Half Months Later-**

After training in only stamina and dodging for four days a week for a month, Lal changed my training a bit by increasing the amount of time she would train me if she wasn't on a mission. Sometimes even if she was out, Colonnello taught me things like camouflage and sneaking in and out of buildings.

_I think the majority was about breaking and entering. But hey, cool is cool. Right?_

Anyway. Lal increased the amount of time we would spend on a single training session, not only that but she also added other things like basics of hand to hand combat.

Dodging and stamina changed as well, when they were both rolled into one. I was also to catch any projectiles that I could (safely) and throw them back. Let's just say that 'Aiming' was added to my training as well.

Over the course of the next month and a half, I learnt to throw knives and to my surprise, senbon. I had off-handedly mentioned the usefulness that senbon could have when properly learnt.

I mean, paralysis, pain, knock-out, death or even just to insert some poison into someone. Handy.

Lal Milch had turned up the next day and I had a quick demonstration of technique and a quick try. Apparently I wasn't half bad, because target practice had permanently acquired the use of senbon. Though, I wasn't allowed to take any with me when I left.

"At the moment you'll do more harm than good, my disobedient student."

I also started on using knives for combat. Not just any knives, but trench knives. They were easier to combat with than normal knives and allowed for more attack possibilities.

It was all well and good to throw and fight with knives and senbon but Lal Milch grew frustrated when I was unable to find a weapon that I could use against someone with a longer reach and a stronger force or weapon than me. Swordsmen, scythe-wielders and the strange few that use an assortment of tools like tridents, pole-arms, tessen and even dynamite had me at a disadvantage.

Much to her heightening frustration I refused to use any guns. I didn't want a weapon made for the sole purpose of taking someone's life. Plus, whenever I saw one I immediately felt fearful, regularly withholding the urge to scream in irrational fear.

I couldn't hold a pole-arm. And how the heck would I get away with carrying a medieval weapon?

Tridents were long, and no matter how many times Lal showed me, I couldn't do more than make it wiggle in the air and the oh so special slip-out-of-my-fingers technique.

Tessen were generally heavier than I could lift, and when I could, they presented the same problem as daggers and wouldn't hold against other weapons lacking the higher level of integrity.

Dynamite didn't present an answer, as I could only hold two sticks in each hand, and more often than not I fumbled them, scattering them at my feet.

As Lal got more furious at my denial of using guns she became more and more Spartan towards my training, which was getting twice as difficult each lesson. It wasn't until she pulled out her shotgun and shot at me that she found out one of the reasons I was being difficult about using a gun.

I screamed loudly. And fled.

I didn't care where to.

When I stopped, I had no idea where I was. No one was around.

Still shaking and frightened by the gun being drawn, I hid myself behind a large sculpture curling myself into a ball, crying.

Four hours later, I was found half asleep by the Ninth and his Storm Guardian who were returning to their quarters. The Ninth was sympathetic, and asked his Guardian if he would return me to Shamal. He heaved a sigh, but picked me up saying goodnight to his boss.

I fell asleep while he was carrying me back.

**-The Next Day-**

I refused to go to training the next day, which resulted in my attempt at continuing my work in learning to be fluent in formal Japanese that I had started on the off-days of no training in the last two and a half months.

Shamal checked in on me with that retarded 'I got slapped with a frying pan' worried face of his, saying that he had to go on a mission. Since I had previous knowledge that he was going today, I nodded as he left.

Returning to my languages, I couldn't concentrate on my work and after another ten minutes I stood up and went to the second set of training fields on the opposite side of headquarters.

Reaching the training field I was looking for, I stretched before starting thirty laps around the surprisingly abandoned field. Twenty-seven laps later, I heard a very loud "VOOOI!" coming closer to the training field. I shrugged, dismissing the sound. _I could share a training field._

Halfway through the next lap, I heard an "Ushishishi. A little peasant has been using our field~ Should we slice it up boss?" Which was followed by an immediate and explosive "VOOOI! THIS IS THE VARIA TRAINING GROUNDS YOU SHITTY LITTLE BRAT! GET LOST BEFORE I SLICE YOU TO PIECES!"

_I can share, but apparently they cannot. _

I stopped and looked up towards the people talking only to realise that they were talking to me, and that they were three boys. The youngest looking was a preteen; about three years older than my physical appearance, with blonde hair that covered his eyes and a tiara in his hair. The other noisier one was five years (or was it six?) older than the youngest, and had short silvery hair and a stormy expression.

The last was the oldest, about three years older than the silver haired one, making the dark haired guy about thirteen years older than me. He hadn't said anything, but his expression was one of apathy. It looked like…

...he absolutely didn't give a freaking shit.

"VOI! ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING? WE TOLD YOU TO LEAVE!"

_Ah, no. I was not listening. Wait, what?_

"Can't we do our training in the same place?" I asked, confused.

"Just let the trash stay. If it dies, then it's the trash's fault." The dark haired one said, turning and decking the silver haired one when he didn't jump back quick enough. The younger blonde jumped away, pulling out knives for his defense.

"Ushishi. Boss is quick like always." he said before flinging the knives towards him. I turned, towards the end of the field, continuing my laps. Quick as, I felt something menacing bearing down on me, like one of Lal's heavy knives.

I twisted around and to the side, reaching my hand up to grab the offending object.

In my hand was a silver knife with an engraved handle. The knife was very thin and light, purposely made for throwing. The engravings, instead of hindering its flight were made to streamline the air around the object.

"Ushishi. The Prince demands that the little peasant returns his knife."

I raised an eyebrow at the ambiguous demand. "How so?"

He didn't answer for a second, causing the other two to be distracted from their sparring.

"VOI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IDIOTIC PRINCE HURRY UP AND FINISH PLAYING WITH THAT BRAT!" The silver haired one shouted in impatience.

I sighed. "I could throw it back at you. Or I could go over there and hand it back, though it looks like I might not survive such a move. I would much prefer to throw it. Possibly provoking retaliation." _And swift retribution…_ "So, how would you like it returned? Can you catch?"

"Ushishishi. A smart little peasant. Throw it, if you can manage that distance, little peasant!" Belphegor taunted.

I threw it to sail past his left arm, which he snatched out of the air.

_Take that you smug asshat. _

Instead of saying that and asking for the happy-trigger-moronic-wannabe-prince to kill me, because _hey, I'm right here! Why not?_ I redirected his attention.

"Have you thought about using the engravings as more than slim-lining? You could engrave only one side for more curved throwing. Or twisting the engravings up or down for a vertical curve." I pointed out, hoping he hadn't thought of that, or I might become target practice... for another person.

_Noooooo! Lal's bad enough!_

Belphegor spoke. "Ushishishi. Maybe I have peasant, maybe I haven't..." He turned away, walking away from the training field.

_Maybe I have, maybe I haven't~_ I mentally mocked, now annoyed at the fake prince. _He hasn't thought of that at all. _Then I sighed._ Bloody hell Krystal! Cutting it close, don't ya think? One would think that you do stupid things on purpose. I don't wanna die again! Wah!_

The other two, no longer distracted, went at each other again as I agonized over my idiocy, the silver headed guy now sported a sword.

I shrugged and finished off the laps, just as a combat-maid in a sienna uniform came out, scolding me for being out on _this_ training ground.

_Oh, for frigs sake! Piss off!_

"Um, excuse me? Who the hell are you?" I asked, irritation building.

"I am the Combat-maid assigned to take care of you when Dr. Shamal is away. My name Sachi Conners." She quickly introduced herself, and then promptly tried to grab and drag me away.

"The hell, woman? Don't touch me. Why didn't Shamal tell me about it?" I asked, becoming suspicious.

She hesitated. "Why would he need to tell you? You should just be a good little girl and come with me." _Sounds like a stranger offering a kid candy to get in the car with them. I ain't stupid or a kid._

I shook my head and caught a smell that reminded me of my last moments in the last life I led.

Jumping back, I just missed her arms swooping in towards me. I turned and ran across the field, to get away from her but she pulled out a chain that when thrown, hooked around my ankle, tripping me.

She tugged at the chain dragging me across the grass to her feet, forgetting that there were others in that training field as well.

"What are you doing, trash?"

She jumped and the chain's tension loosened, and I quickly made to get it off.

"I am to take care of Dr. Shamal's kid." She replied with authority in her voice turning to face the oldest male.

She looked down at me as I got up but couldn't do anything before I kicked the inside of her right knee, cracking something in her leg.

I sprinted at top speed away from her, when she called out.

"David, Sarah! Get the fucking brat!" That caused another two sets of heavy thunking to start following me.

_Why the fuck am I getting chased by fucking randoms? And more importantly, WHY CAN'T I HAVE A FUCKING GOD DAMNED WEAPON!?_

"That trash doesn't work for the Vongola. Get rid of them, trash."

"VOOOI, FUCKING BOSS! I WAS DOING THAT ALREADY!"

I turned when the thudding behind me stopped, and saw that the silver-haired boy had taken the other two out. Seeing I had stopped, silver-head turned to me.

"VOOI, STUPID LITTLE BRAT! WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A FUCKING WEAPON?" He bellowed.

"I was asking myself that same question. Apparently five to eleven years aren't allowed. Babies and preteens, sure!" I sighed and shook my head.

"Whatever, trash. Help us take this scum to the interrogation unit." They grabbed the two who had chased me, and I ran over to grab 'Sachi's' ankle, pulling her by one foot.

Eventually I reached the interrogation unit, where it was confirmed that they were not people tasked to look over me. Go figure.

Also, I found out that the silver-haired guy was Squalo, and the other Xanxus, the Ninth's third son.

Oh, and that they are the Boss and Under-Boss of the Varia.

_Yeah._

"DISOBEDIENT STUDENT~! WHERE ARE YOU~? OH THERE YOU ARE~!" I heard sung from behind me.

_Ah, shit, oh shit! I am going to fucking die!_

I turned slowly, smiling sheepishly, hoping that she wasn't mad cause I skipped training.

"H-hey, Lal!" I said.

**A/N: God, this one ran away from me! Xanxus and Squalo got more of a mention then were planned in this one. And the whole attempted kidnapping wasn't even supposed to happen!**

**Thank you to YOUR KOKORO - PERFECT DAY, Angelic Fluffle and the lovely scarlet rose white for reviewing! You guys make my day!**

**Thankyou to all those who have favourited and followed this story!**

**Please review!**

**~Alternateapocalypse**


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